*Triggers Possible* Is my experience even valid?
Hi all, I’d like to share a bit about myself.
I am a late diagnosed autistic guy. 38 years old, have a wife and child. I started my journey of self discovery after being triggered by Baby Reindeer.
Ever since I was 5, I remembered that my uncle touched my penis on multiple occasions. When asked to stop, he said he will only stop if I started wearing underwear (I was going commando due to sensory issue). Other adults were around, but it was seen as teasing. But I clearly remembered it continued even after I started to wear an underwear. He also liked to squeeze my butt, and there was once when we were alone in a bathroom, he showed me his penis. I didn’t know how to feel about that and I ran away.
Is this normal in my culture (I’m a South East Asian)? Or really teasing? Or CSA?
My psychotherapist said it depends on his intention. I am not sure if I could ever find out. But I do remember avoiding him, and always protecting my private parts whenever he was around.
This does make me wonder if this has shaped my understanding in my own personal boundaries.
Fast forward to 19, I went to university and lived in the boy’s dorm. Got befriended by the perp. I trusted him as a friend. Little did I know that he was slowly desensitizing me to his touch. Looking back, it started with his hands on my shoulder, neck, then arms, cheeks, then thigh… He had also been finding excuses to share my bed. Nothing happened for the first few times.
But the very last time he shared my bed, I woke up to a strange sensation. He put my hand inside his underwear, fondling his penis. I was shocked and I froze. Then he proceeded to fondle mine. It felt like eternity as I pretended to be sound asleep. Eventually it stopped.
I told my best friend after some time, hoping to clear my confusion about what happened. But he took it as a funny incident. I immediately felt like I was being teased. So I took it as just another normal day. Seems like it happens to everyone, no…?
I always felt like it was my own fault, I should have been more vigilant. I came to believe that it’s just touching, not anything big anyway, and it is totally normal to have no boundaries as long as we are all male.
As a young adult, I faced many more times of some sort of harassment(?). There were a few incidents where guys peeked through translucent glass to watch me take a shower at the gym. Another incident was a guy came over to my stall at a public shower and grabbed my penis while he was fully erected. I managed to push his hand away. But he didn’t give up even after I protested loudly, and he would attempt again. I remembered having to quickly finish up and quickly put on my clothes while looked at me and masturbated.
Must be effing normal if these shit keep happening to me.
That was the last incident, it happened when I was 26. I got married after that, our child was born some years later. Then the pandemic happened, and I slipped into a long term depression. After a long while, I got my autism diagnosis early this year. So now I am fully aware that I don’t understand social rules like everyone else.
Three weeks ago, I watched Baby Reindeer. My previous belief: - men cannot be sexually assaulted - crashed and burned overnight. All my memories came flooding back. Feeling overwhelmed, and unable to accept that I might have been a victim of CSA, SA, or even grooming, I had a serious shut down. I am still keeping all of this to myself.
Feeling lonely and suffocated, I have started to seek help with my psychotherapist, but I am not sure what will happen. I shared a small part of my history with my wife, and she is incredibly supportive.
I don’t know if this is trauma, or just being autistic. It feels like I don’t know anything anymore.
I didn’t feel like a victim for more than a decade. And now I suddenly do?? What is this pain that I am feeling? My heart hurts every time those intrusive thoughts strike. But I am so dissociated from my body, I couldn’t even cry when it hurts so bad.
I hope I can get some clarity, support or some self acceptance by being here. Hope this will be the start of my healing journey.
I am a late diagnosed autistic guy. 38 years old, have a wife and child. I started my journey of self discovery after being triggered by Baby Reindeer.
Ever since I was 5, I remembered that my uncle touched my penis on multiple occasions. When asked to stop, he said he will only stop if I started wearing underwear (I was going commando due to sensory issue). Other adults were around, but it was seen as teasing. But I clearly remembered it continued even after I started to wear an underwear. He also liked to squeeze my butt, and there was once when we were alone in a bathroom, he showed me his penis. I didn’t know how to feel about that and I ran away.
Is this normal in my culture (I’m a South East Asian)? Or really teasing? Or CSA?
My psychotherapist said it depends on his intention. I am not sure if I could ever find out. But I do remember avoiding him, and always protecting my private parts whenever he was around.
This does make me wonder if this has shaped my understanding in my own personal boundaries.
Fast forward to 19, I went to university and lived in the boy’s dorm. Got befriended by the perp. I trusted him as a friend. Little did I know that he was slowly desensitizing me to his touch. Looking back, it started with his hands on my shoulder, neck, then arms, cheeks, then thigh… He had also been finding excuses to share my bed. Nothing happened for the first few times.
But the very last time he shared my bed, I woke up to a strange sensation. He put my hand inside his underwear, fondling his penis. I was shocked and I froze. Then he proceeded to fondle mine. It felt like eternity as I pretended to be sound asleep. Eventually it stopped.
I told my best friend after some time, hoping to clear my confusion about what happened. But he took it as a funny incident. I immediately felt like I was being teased. So I took it as just another normal day. Seems like it happens to everyone, no…?
I always felt like it was my own fault, I should have been more vigilant. I came to believe that it’s just touching, not anything big anyway, and it is totally normal to have no boundaries as long as we are all male.
As a young adult, I faced many more times of some sort of harassment(?). There were a few incidents where guys peeked through translucent glass to watch me take a shower at the gym. Another incident was a guy came over to my stall at a public shower and grabbed my penis while he was fully erected. I managed to push his hand away. But he didn’t give up even after I protested loudly, and he would attempt again. I remembered having to quickly finish up and quickly put on my clothes while looked at me and masturbated.
Must be effing normal if these shit keep happening to me.
That was the last incident, it happened when I was 26. I got married after that, our child was born some years later. Then the pandemic happened, and I slipped into a long term depression. After a long while, I got my autism diagnosis early this year. So now I am fully aware that I don’t understand social rules like everyone else.
Three weeks ago, I watched Baby Reindeer. My previous belief: - men cannot be sexually assaulted - crashed and burned overnight. All my memories came flooding back. Feeling overwhelmed, and unable to accept that I might have been a victim of CSA, SA, or even grooming, I had a serious shut down. I am still keeping all of this to myself.
Feeling lonely and suffocated, I have started to seek help with my psychotherapist, but I am not sure what will happen. I shared a small part of my history with my wife, and she is incredibly supportive.
I don’t know if this is trauma, or just being autistic. It feels like I don’t know anything anymore.
I didn’t feel like a victim for more than a decade. And now I suddenly do?? What is this pain that I am feeling? My heart hurts every time those intrusive thoughts strike. But I am so dissociated from my body, I couldn’t even cry when it hurts so bad.
I hope I can get some clarity, support or some self acceptance by being here. Hope this will be the start of my healing journey.

